Weekly news wrap – stuff you may have missed

Two Sydney teenagers charged over terrorist plot

Two 16-year-old boys were arrested in Bankstown and later charged, and refused bail after they allegedly purchased bayonets from a gun shop and were carrying religious statements to be read out for a possible beheading. One of the boys was already known to police and his house was raided in 2014 during the Operation Appleby raids. It is believed the two have links to radical preacher Junaid Thorne and also with extremist Wissam Haddad. Deakin University professor and terrorism expert Greg Barton told Channel Nine: “They had sufficient concerns. That is unusual, to be putting police resources on young teenagers, but clearly, there is a longer back story here”. The two are currently in police custody.

Mike Baird to trial shark nets in northern NSW

Following two shark attacks in the past weeks at Ballina Premier Mike Baird wants to introduce a trial of shark nets across beaches in northern NSW. The nets will accompany already existing smart drum lines designed to notify Department of Primary Industries scientists when a shark is caught. “Ultimately we get to the point where we have to prioritise human life over everything,” Mr Baird said. “We need to have a look at other measures to add to the suite of technologies and protections we have on the north coast.” The decision has seen some backlash with Greens marine and fisheries spokesman Justin Field saying the trial “will kill the marine life that we love in NSW.”

Stephanie Scott to be remembered today

Stephanie Scott’s grieving parents have urged people to have a cup of tea and a biscuit at 3pm today in memory of their murdered daughter on what would have been her 28th birthday. Speaking to the media outside court yesterday after Vincent Stanford was jailed for life without parole for the April 2015 murder and sexual assault, mother Merrilyn Scott said: “We will be having a cup of tea and a Mint Slice biscuit at three, please join us.” Stanford had been a cleaner at the western NSW school of Leeton High where Ms Scott worked as a teacher. At Stanford’s sentencing, Justice Robert Allan Hulme called him “callous” and “disturbed” and revealed he had stalked three females before the murder, including a 12-year-old girl.

Pauline Hanson appointed to NBN committee

Senator Hanson has been appointed to the NBN committee despite the majority of the senate voting against her in favour of Nick Xenophon Team senator Stirling Griff. The position was opened after Nationals senator John Williams was asked to step down following Hanson’s loss in the ballot. Senator Williams made it clear that he had been asked to step aside for Hanson after she lost the ballot but wasn’t fazed by the decision saying, “As long as there’s a Nat (National) on the committee I didn’t mind …I’m on about six committees now.” Senator Hanson said on her appointment “I have committed to ensuring the level of their telecommunications and internet services continue to improve. The Nationals were happy [to] do what was necessary for me to join them on the committee and see improvements.”

Medicinal cannabis legalised in Queensland

On Wednesday night, parliament in Queensland passed a new law to allow prescriptions of medical cannabis. From March next year, medical professionals such as oncologists, paediatric neurologists and palliative care specialists will be able to prescribe medicinal cannabis to patients of any age to treat critical illnesses. Queensland GPs will have to apply to the state health department to be able to prescribe the drug for certain conditions. Health Minister Cameron Dick told the ABC: “Queensland is leading Australia in providing a pathway to access medicinal cannabis treatment for those who need it most, in a safe, controlled way.” Medical Cannabis has been legalised internationally in Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden and the United States. – Compiled from online sources by the Newsroom team.